Looking for good non-plastic fermenters

[Ace]

I'm looking for a few good fermentation containers.  I'm one of those unfortunates who can taste plastic when it's been used to store food or drink (especially anything alcoholic), so I'm looking for something other than the usual food-grade 25L plastic buckets.  I'll be using the them both for spirits and beer. Maybe glass?  Or stainless?

I've seen the large 25L glass bottles, but with such a narrow neck, it seems like they would be very difficult to clean.

I'm a little concerned about weight, so I'd prefer several smaller containers to a single large one.

Any suggestions for a possible source would be appreciated.

I'm located in Nelson, in case it matters.

 

 

[Michael]

Ace,

The glass carboy do have a narrow nech, but with a carboy brush, they are easy to clean. The only real concern i have with my carboys is that if you drop them, they can be deadly. Having said this, you can find these on trademe occasionally, and at ou LHBS.

Recently, i have moved to using better bottles for prmary, and glass on the secondary. I do not pick up any plastic on these, and they are supposed to be impermeable to O2. YMMV these are also lighter and safer.

If you have big money, you can always splurge on a stainless steel conical. Blichman makes a nice one, but damn these are expensive. (and real nice!)

[Ace]

I've seen the glass carboys at Bin Inn -- something like $110 each.  I'll look into the carboy brush; thanks.

I hadn't considered O2 impermeability, but it seems like that could be an important issue, particularly for longer ferments.

What do you mean by "better bottles"?

The Blichmann fermenters look great, but I imagine shipping them from the States alone would be a bit pricey, to say the least.  I might look into them anyway.  I wonder if anyone in NZ makes something similar?

[Tilt]

Using a good non scented " oxy"  style of nappy soaker (the likes of napisan) will negate the need for a brush to clean your carboy - that stuff dissolves trub and other goob (its made to do the biz with black as tar, sticky as baby muck so its gotta be pretty good) after 24-48 hours soaking.  All you'll need to do then is rinse thoroughly and sanitise.

[Michael]

http://www.better-bottle.com/

These are a different kind of plastic, and AFAIK do not impart plastic tastes, atleast not to me.

[JoKing]

You don't need to import anymore... http://www.inibrewsupply.com/ferment/

 

Right here in NZ... choose your size.

[Ace]

Interesting, thanks.  Definitely pricey.

Any idea how they compare to the ones from Farra?

http://www.farra.co.nz/productdetails.php?page=1&numproj=4

 

[mike]

farra ss make them.any size or shape.

[Richard Jack]

Most cost effective option for spirits I've found is 25/50L stainless kegs for your low wines storage, oaking etc. Talk to Keg Resources or someone similar about getting some without effecting your conscience, or ask around for damaged ones being taken out of production. The bonus is that you can use the 50's for boilers, mating with a triclamp ferrule on your column, and then you have a fully modular system... I can't think of anything other than glass and stainless if you're trying to avoid plastics. I'd opt for stainless for the distilling stuff anyway, glass carboys full of high proof spirits scare the shit out of me, too much work and fire risk only a crack away from freedom. (I'm kiwistiller from HD, nice to see you over here :) )

[Ace]

Ah, good to see you here too.

It looks like the stainless kegs just have a small hole at the top?  I imagine you'd have to clean them with a carboy brush, as Michael suggested for the glass ones.

Do you know of anyone who sells new ones?  The only ones I saw on Keg Resources were used, and the 25L version had their handles cut off and ground over.

[Richard Jack]

For storing spirits I don't bother cleaning them beyond a rinse or a soak. If I scorch them or something as a boiler, I throw in a handful of chain or something, add powdered brewery wash, soak and shake it around some. If you were after it as a fermenter... don't know really, carboy bush I suppose. Never fermented in them myself. I've heard of some folks from the US fermenting in Corny Kegs, which are available from a few places around NZ. But, they don't really seem ideal for a primary fermenter.

 

New kegs? No idea sorry, never looked.

[Ralph]

Corny keg would have to be the way to go. Stainless steel and a hole big enough to fit your hand through at the top. Generally about 18 L and sell for about $100.

[Michael]

I find something comforting about seeing my brew ferment. Could not do that in a corny, but there is no reason a corny would not work nicely. My only caution is that you will likely end up with a little less than possible when transferring the beer off of the trub. If you are already down to 18L, you are already on the downward slope.

Having said this, a corny is easy to clean, and it meets all of the criteria, assuming you have a hole for an airlock to fit in.